What is See Sport Differently?
Two men riding a tandem bike
See Sport Differently is a Sport England funded initiative in partnership with RNIB and British Blind Sport.
We want more people with sight loss to get involved and feel the benefits as participants or spectators.
Research shows that blind and partially sighted people are twice as likely to be inactive compared to people without sight loss. We want to change this.
Based on insights from blind and partially sighted people, we have developed a programme of activity to tackle the biggest barriers that stop blind and partially people from getting involved in sport and activity.
Through See Sport Differently we are determined to challenge perceptions about sport and sight loss, so that blind and partially sighted people can get involved however they want to.
What we have learnt
- Blind and partially sighted people are twice as likely to be inactive compared to the general public.
- One in two blind and partially sighted people feel that having sight loss stops them from exercising as much as they want to.
- One in three blind and partially sighted people said there were sports or fitness activities they would like to try but haven’t been able to.
- Accessibility and awareness, cost, confidence and transportation are all key barriers to accessing sport and physical activity for blind and partially sighted people.
- Sporting clubs and governing bodies struggle to reach blind and partially sighted people, and they lack awareness of the barriers faced by people with sight loss trying to access sports and activities.
- There is a lack of confidence among coaches to work with blind and partially sighted people.
- Blind and partially sighted people are half as likely to attend live sporting events compared to the England average. Venue accessibility is a major barrier.
A man playing visually impaired rugby
How we’re making a difference
Based on insights from blind and partially sighted people, we have developed a programme of activity to tackle the biggest barriers that stop blind and partially people from getting involved in sport and activity.
We are:
● Raising awareness about how blind and partially sighted people can get active.
● Developing a peer support network of people with sight loss who are already active to champion local activities.
● Working with National Governing Bodies, sight loss organisations and local clubs to ensure activities and blind sports are accessible and inclusive in design.
● Upskilling staff and volunteers, who work in sport and activity, to create a more inclusive participant experience for people with sight loss.
● Working with high-profile sports venues to create a more accessible and inclusive spectator experience for blind and partially sighted people.
A woman running on a path in a park with headphones
What we’ve created
Our See Sport Differently resources are designed to raise awareness about how blind and partially sighted people can get active and help the sports and sight loss sector find out how activities can be made more accessible for people with sight loss.
Toolkits for local clubs and sight loss organisations
Workforce training for coaches
Get involved in See Sport Differently
Accessible stadium guidance; creating inclusive spectator experiences for people with sight loss
In collaboration with British Blind Sport, we’ve compiled a raft of information on what sports and activities are accessible, as well as helpful signposts about where to go to find out more. We’ve designed a quiz to help people find the right activities for them and are showcasing some powerful real stories from blind and partially sighted people about how they were able to get active.